Show ContentsHaymint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Haymint

What does the name Haymint mean?

The history of the Haymint family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Warwickshire. The Hayman, however, does not refer to that area, but is a topographical reference to an enclosure of some sort. The name was originally derived from the Old English word haye, which meant enclosure. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been an occupational one that referred to "the hayman" or seller of hay. 2

Early Origins of the Haymint family

The surname Haymint was first found in Warwickshire where one of the first records of the name was Walter Heyman who was listed there in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332. 1

Early History of the Haymint family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haymint research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1580, 1610, 1618, 1629, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1653, 1658, 1690, 1708, 1723, 1742 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Haymint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haymint Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Hayman, Heyman and others.

Early Notables of the Haymint family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Hayman (1575-1629), English poet from Newton Abbot, Devon, colonist and Proprietary Governor of Bristol's Hope colony in Newfoundland. He was the eldest of nine children. His father, Nicholas Hayman, was a prosperous citizen and later mayor and MP of both Totnes and Dartmouth. Hayman was appointed the Newfoundland colony's first and only governor in 1618 when Bristol's Society of Merchant Venturers received a charter from King James I of England to establish the settlement. Hayman lived in the colony for fifteen months, primarily in Harbour Grace, before returning to England. Sir Peter Heyman...
Another 103 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Haymint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Haymint family to Ireland

Some of the Haymint family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Haymint family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Haymint name or one of its variants: William Hayman settled in Barbados in 1634; Captain Hayman settled in Boston in 1765; William Hayman arrived in Philadelphia in 1774; Lambert Haymen settled in Philadelphia in 1875..



The Haymint Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Coelum non solum
Motto Translation: Heaven not earth.


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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